Make metro link to Greater Noida operational by December 2017, state tells NMRC

The Noida Metro rail corporation owns the 30-km metro link, on which 60% of the work has been completed.

NMRC will procure trains for this project from China for Rs 800 crore.(Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday directed the Noida Metro rail corporation (NMRC) to begin operations on the 30-km Noida-Greater Noida metro link by December 2017. The directions were given in the 10th board meeting of the NMRC held in Lucknow and chaired by state chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar.

In the meeting, eight proposals put forth by the NMRC were approved. The corporation owns the 30-km metro link, on which 60% of the work has been completed. It will procure trains for this project from China for ₹800 crore.

“He (Bhatnagar) directed us to complete the remaining work by September so that trials on this project can be started by October. This will become the longest link to be operational,” said Santosh Yadav, managing director, NMRC. He added that the NMRC is also planning a multi-purpose cashless card

The Noida metro is also on its way to rope in a bank to provide the ‘one-city-one-card’ facility to metro passengers who will be able to use the card not only to pay for metro or city bus service fare, but also bills in government offices.

“It will be a first-of-its-kind card to be used to pay water, electricity and mobile bills too. The card owner will even be able to shop in malls with the card. This project will benefit thousands of users in the time of demonetisation when cash transactions are discouraged,” said Yadav.

In the meeting, the NMRC board also approved proposals related to metro security, funding pattern and the city bus service, among others.

“On October 15, 2016, the public investment board (PIB) had, after examining the Metro project, committed to provide ₹1,034 crore of the funds required for the 30-km Noida to Greater Noida metro link. PIB’s approval means that the National Capital Region planning board (NCRPB), another Central body, will now also release ₹1,587 crore in financial aid to the metro link. The chief secretary has approved our funding pattern proposal, taking the project to the next level,” said PD Upadhyay, general manager, NMRC.